3 User Reviews of Independence of the Seas Cruise Ship

I'd like to preface my review with some context. This was my
first cruise, as cruising is not personally my ideal type of
vacation. I prefer going somewhere and having time to explore --
maybe city- or country-hop if I can. But I'm not typically into
tours or rigid itineraries. Still, I love tropical environs, water
and sailing, and am ok with resorts in general even though they're
not as authentic as the places surrounding them. So I tried to go
into the cruise with a fairly open mind. In the end, I have decided
that cruising is not for me. On the other hand, there are some
people that love cruises. So the things that bothered me might not
apply to everyone else. But I will try to be thorough and specific,
so at least others can get a sense of what I experienced during
6-Night Western Caribbean Cruise on the Independence of the Seas
with Royal Caribbean.

As a quick summary, I found that there wasn’t enough time to
spend in the better port stops (Grand Cayman and especially
Falmouth, Jamaica) and the other was completely artificial and run
by

the cruise line (Labadee, Haiti). Even in the stops that had some
authentic culture, sights, and activities, Royal Caribbean tried to
dissuade people from leaving the port area complexes where they
take a cut of sales from vendors and luxury shops. They claim the
towns and countries can be dangerous. If that was the case, why
bother going? Why get off the ship? It’s just a money grab. On that
note, there were LOTS of upcharges from the alcohol packages to the
souvenir cups and the added-fee restaurants that were totally
generic and not much better quality than the regular dining hall.
The food quality and preparation in the dining hall and buffet were
pretty atrocious – most dishes were mediocre at best, and some were
appalling. There was also a lack of variety in foods, with one
exception being the Singapore-Style Curry
Noodles%u2026unfortunately, while they tried to offer an ethnic
taste, they were comically bad (they tasted like ketchup, French
dressing, and sadness). In general, the foods were bland, drab, and
not particularly fresh. Exceptions were some of the pastas and the
steak. The ship, while large, felt confining. It was like we were
confined to what Royal Caribbean felt like giving us as a vacation,
rather than getting to enjoy ourselves and make the most of the
time and the places we visited.

Now to get more specific%u2026

I'll start with the positive:

*The staff members on the ship were incredibly friendly, warm,
interested, and caring. They were the absolute best part of the
trip. Whether in the dining hall, bars, lounges, or pools, they
made us feel welcomed and taken-care of. They helped us enjoy the
cruise as much as possible, and are a huge credit to Royal
Caribbean for hiring and training them. They’re truly
outstanding.

*The ship was well-maintained, clean, modern, and generally had
a nice feel to its layout and in its venues.

*There was one night with a stand-up coming guest performer –
the show was great, although she might not have thought the crowd
was into it due to rough seas at the time. I wish there were more
established artists with some broad appeal.

*Grand Cayman, while small, had some deliciously fresh seafood
and lots of outdoor activities like snorkeling.

*Falmouth, Jamaica was a very vibrant place. The produce was so
incredibly fresh and diverse. The people were friendly and
hospitable. The mountains and sea were beautiful. The history was
interesting and complex. The foods were tasty (we went on a
culinary walking tour). Plus it’s close to Montego Bay and Ochos
Rios. I wish we could’ve stayed at port for a night so we had more
time to enjoy this stop.

*Onboard activities were fun, and facilities were nice – this
applies to pools, hot tubs, the surf simulator, rock wall, etc. The
time on the boat was generally enjoyable when we weren’t in rough
seas or having a mediocre meal.

*The alcohol package made things that much better – we got the
ultimate package, which paid for itself after 4 or 5 drinks a day.
That was a good call for us.

And now for the negative:

*Most importantly, Labadee was horrible, inauthentic, and a
waste of a day. The entire complex was set up by Royal Caribbean,
and is fenced-in from the rest of Haiti. If you were to judge from
Labadee, Haitian food must be burgers, hot dogs, and the
“Labadoozie” frozen drink. True story: one guy tossed part of a
burger to one of the stray dogs on the beach – the dog sniffed the
burger and wouldn’t eat it! The beaches were crowded, and most of
them were rocky with coral chunks. The ones that had nicer sand
were near the boat, and smelled like fuel. We were not allowed to
experience any of what actual Haiti had to offer in terms of
culture and sights. Yet from the beaches at Labadee, we could only
be teased by the beautiful rolling hills that lay beyond the resort
area’s fence. And as a resort, it was poor – everything had an
upcharge whether it was a floating mat or a cabana. And the
facilities were dirty and run-down (stank bathrooms). They do let
some Haitian residents work in the complex, which I guess is a
decent job. But it’s not a good experience for tourists. Except for
the landscape, there’s no reason to bother leaving the boat
here.

*Premium amenities and services were very expensive, for example
massages and spa services. Royal Caribbean tried to squeeze more
money out of passengers every chance they got.

*The "cold" water in the stateroom was tepid and undrinkable. Of
course, even with a drink package you could only get one bottle of
water at a time.

*The mini fridge was barely cool. So you kindof need a beverage
package for a cool drink.

*The curtains in the promenade stateroom were see-through and
provided no privacy unless we used the blackout ones, which
eliminated the view and any light from outside. They should’ve been
sheer to let in light, but not prying eyes. It basically defeated
the purpose of having the promenade window.

*The food quality was very poor, and dining options were few and
unsatisfying. I actually touched on this more specifically above.
Everything tasted frozen (ok, it’s the best way to get food to last
for 6 days), but was not prepared in a way that brought out any of
its flavor. Things were bland, and drab. There were only a few
ethnic foods, most of which were terrible. The sushi bar at the
buffet was very disappointing (they had a variety of bad rolls,
when they probably should’ve just had a decent California roll and
called it a day). Everything was soggy. When we got off the boat,
we’d always crave veggies and fresh foods. They should probably
simplify the menu to more reliable things, and consider cheap foods
that can hold up well and make people happy%u2026why not have a
decent lo mein or burrito bar? And the two premium restaurants were
totally not worth it -- $25 per person for generic “Italian” food
or $35 for a lousy steakhouse. They should consider getting a chain
or established chef to set up a restaurant – if they can source
some decent-quality food that a real chef would accept.

*The drinks were a price gouge%u2026but they have you by the
balls. You can bring on wine, but not even a large-format beer.
Basically if you enjoy drinking, you have to pay out the nose.

*WiFi was expensive and unreliable – if you expect dial-up
speeds, you will be sorely disappointed.

*There were incessant announcements on the PA loudspeaker system
to announce “important” information like longitude/latitude,
pre-scheduled port stops we already knew about, and opportunities
to spend money at the overpriced duty-free and jewelry shops. These
woke us up if we dared to relax during our “vacation,” and were
obnoxious in content and volume. They woke us up at 6am on
debarkation day even though many of us were not allowed off the
ship until 10. Awesome!

*The island stops were too short, and Royal Caribbean tried to
mislead passengers that the only safe areas were the ports, where
all shopping basically went back to the cruise line. I don’t see
the point of taking a ship somewhere beautiful in the Caribbean,
but not getting time to actually experience these places. For
people who enjoy the cruising experience aboard the ship, why
bother stopping? It seemed like a lose-lose proposition for me.

*Finally, while they’re truly amazing people, the cruise staff
are overworked, and abused by Royal Caribbean. While the option to
work with a cruise line might be a better career choice than
staying in their home countries, they should be treated fairly on
par with American employment laws and not treated so horribly. It
is depressing to see, and I felt ashamed that my family did
business with Royal Caribbean. It was typical to learn that some
staff members worked 15-17 hour days with no days off. And they are
penalized without-pay if they happen to get sick. Sure, it’s just
business. But I think a company should be judged not only by how
profitable they are, but also by how decently they treat the people
who work with them to help them succeed. For the absolute best part
of this company, the staff was not properly appreciated by Royal
Caribbean.

I hope some of this might help people make their cruise related
decisions in the future – the bottom line is that if you already
like cruising, you probably will enjoy this ship and itinerary with
a few exceptions. And if you’re not sure about the cruise
experience, there are some downsides that are probably worth being
warned about in advance.

Overall, the most important thing I can say that should apply to
everyone is that Labadee was, in my opinion, the absolute worst
part of the trip--and a waste of time and money. Even if you’re
gung-ho about taking a cruise with Royal Caribbean, I’d urge you to
check out an itinerary that avoids this lame excuse for either a
resort or a genuine port stop. I looked through their port
brochure, and am intrigued by some other places they serve such as
Puerto Rico and St. Maarten.

The Royal Caribbean International (RCI) Independence of the
Seas, with her sister ships Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the
Seas, are the biggest cruise ships afloat. They will hold this
title until December 2009 when the 220,000 ton Oasis of the Seas
will be launched! This Saturday morning she sat alongside another
renowned cruise ship who previously held the title of "Biggest
Cruise Ship": The Queen Mary 2 of the Cunard Line.

Captain Teo Strazicic of Dubrovnik, Croatia is very proud of his
beautiful behemoth, which although larger than RCI's Eagle Class
(Voyager, Explorer, Navigator, Mariner, and Adventurer of the Seas)
she still uses only the same number and types of engines, but more
efficiently. Bravo RCI this awesome ship is a true engineering
marvel!

Embarkation Saturday noon, the I-95 traffic was bearable and we
arrived at Port Everglades at 12:00pm, however, it took thirty
minutes to go through traffic control. Many passengers were
surprised at this delay, since other ports are more efficiently
handling security. Once in port, things moved along more quickly.
We were through Check-in in five minutes, but had to wait for
another wheel chair for Vincent for

twenty minutes. The ramps to the ship were not too steep, but they
were very long ones. Mary's motorized wheel chair handled them
easily!

We checked on our dining arrangements and found we had a nice
table for two at the rear of the Romeo & Juliet Restaurant near
the magnificent triple deck staircase. We kept this table because
of its proximity to the live music. Now, we were off to the Welcome
On Board Buffet: which was overcrowded, but even with courteous
assistance we had an unusual dispersal of hot potato soup!

Embarkation was good considering over 3,600 were boarding along
with crew members.

Ship The Independence was launched in May 2008, so it is in
pristine condition.

Hotel Director Darren Budden (Newfoundland, Canada) has a right
to be proud of the Independence: she is immaculate, well run,
service is pleasant and immediate. He kindly gave us a book: "Art
The Collection" on board. There are 15 decks with many eclectic
pieces of art which merit a detailed overview.

Deck 1 is mainly for crew except that the Medical Facility is
located aft.

Deck 2 forward has the Alhambra Theatre with a beautiful
Austrian crystal beaded curtain. The design has five dark haired
Flamenco dancers with their gorgeous ruffled skirts spread: all
forming a 13 paneled 28ft tall by 46ft wide spectacular display.
Midship is the Ice Skating Rink, a RCI innovation, which allows
passenger skating and show opportunities. There are also staterooms
on Deck 2.

Deck 3 again forward is the Alhambra Theatre. Then toward
midship is the Labyrinth night club with its Harry Cardross stained
glass windows featuring the "Raven of the Tower" (Legend has it
that if the ravens ever leave the Tower, the British Monarchy and
the country will fall.) The second window features the "Raven of
the Battle." Midship is Studio B, On air Studio and the Art
Gallery. There are also staterooms and aft is the Romeo and Juliet
Restaurant. At the entrance is a marvelous all white 3D bust of
William Shakespeare, which follows the viewer as s/he walks by. It
has the effect of motion. Very cool!

Deck 4 forward has the balcony of the Alhambra Theatre; then
towards midship is the Schooner Bar with its nautical décor and a
ship model of the "Flora of Tjomo," one of RCI's founders Gjert
Wilhelmsen' first barques. Then there are the upper level of the
Labyrinth, the spacious Casino Royal, the Photo Gallery and Shop,
and the Boleros Lounge. All the way aft is the Macbeth
Restaurant.

Deck 5 forward has the Pyramid Lounge with the entrance flanked
by a series of imposing Pharaohs and inside is a stunning black and
gold statue of King Tutankhamen based on the one found in the boy
King Tut's tomb in the King's Valley, Egypt. Also located here are
Clarissa Parish's two frescoes of Egyptian women.

This deck has the unique Royal Promenade with its many shops and
eating venues: "Sorrento's Pizzeria" features antipasti, pizzas,
garlic toast, and panini, daily; plus Italian biscotti, macaroons
and amaretto cookies. There are logo shops, "A Clean Shave"
barber's shop, men's and women's boutiques, a perfume shop, a
general store, "The Dog & Badger English Pub" and "Ben &
Jerry's" ice cream. Also there is "Cafe Promenade" serving
excellent coffee and tea, sandwiches, scones, RCI's terrific
cookies and doughnuts.

The star exhibit of the Promenade is the blue 2008 Morgan V6
Roadster handmade on commission by RCI. Aft suspended is Larry
Kirkland's Greek Drinking Vessel featuring dolphins -- a good omen
at sea. Kirkland modeled his huge cup on a 550 BC work by Exekias
in Athens. Also here are located the Guest Relations Desk and the
Explorations Desk. All the way aft is the King Lear Restaurant,
which completes the third tier of the dining complex with a
gorgeous crystal chandelier visible from all three tiers.

Decks 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are all staterooms and located nearby
the aft elevators on each deck are the Business Services, the
Library with open stacks, the "Royal Caribbean Online" computer
center and the "Concierge Club."

Deck 11 has many guest facilities. Forward is the State of the
Art Fitness Center with beautiful views of the sea while using
treadmills, etc. In the Solarium are two huge whirlpools, one on
each side of the ship, cantilevered over the sea, and a swimming
pool just for adults. Near here are two Barsanti Mosaics named
"Tigers in the Jungle" based on the works of a French
Post-Impressionist painter Henri Rousseau. In the forward stairs
portside is the Robert Silvers' head of Venus inspired by
Botticelli's unforgettable "Birth of Venus." This artist creates
his work by computer using thousands of tiny photographs to form a
larger image -- You must look at this up close, rather than the
usual admonition to "stand back in order to get the full import of
a picture." Here, you must go up close to see how this was made.
Amazing!

Deck 12 forward is the Day Spa, the Sky Bar, and the jogging
track. Toward aft is Johnny Rockets, a 50's style diner and the
Challengers Arcade, Adventure Ocean children's area, and the Surf
Teen Disco.

Deck 13 has the Rock Climbing Wall, the Sports Court
(basketball, volleyball, tennis), the Golf Simulator and the Dunes
Mini Golf. The most unique sports opportunity is the Flowrider
which allows passengers to surf standing or kneeling.

Deck 14 has the "Olive or Twist" & the Viking Crown Lounge,
the card and game rooms and Diamond Lounge where we met the Diamond
Member Concierge Columella Arandia.

Deck 15 has the nearest thing to heaven on the sea: the Skylight
Chapel.

The Independence of the Seas is decorated with art work inspired
by the Old Masters, but executed by modern artists -- very
interesting.

This ship is huge at 160,000 tons and 208 feet tall (double the
height of the Statue of Liberty) and its Royal Promenade is longer
than a football field. Its enormous size allows RCI to offer a more
diverse vacation.

Service & Food The state of the economy has finally done
what years of begging from us could not accomplish. The over
abundant portions have finally been reduced to appropriate sized
portions. We are so happy not to waste food -- we could rarely
finish those too ample entrees. It does not restrict those with
gargantuan appetites, since they can still order as much as they
want.

RCI has brought eating back to normalcy. Thanks to Executive
Chef Ivo Jahn, we enjoyed dining in the Romeo & Juliet
Restaurant. Maitre D' Dominic Barr gave us a nice table and our
Waiter Sabit Majaki and his Asst. Waiter Chantelle John made every
night a dining pleasure. Head Waiters Jason D'Silva and Francesco
Orlando made us feel special.

Sunday formal night we dined with Captain Teo Strazicic (a very
erudite gentleman, who had insightful ideas on education (Vincent
& Mary are both university teachers) and other world topics. It
was a fantastic dinner only surpassed by Chef Ivo's Almond Brittle
Hand Made Chalice filled with wild berries and cream! The food is
of good quality and available all over the ship: from Sorrento's
Pizzeria on Deck 5, to self serve frozen yogurt on Deck 11 at
Sprinkles. We also dined at the Chop's Grille where both food and
service were excellent. Food & Beverage Director Joao Mendonca
oversees a complex system with dexterity. Bravo! Room Service all
week long was prompt, hot and appetizing.

Cabin Wheelchair accessible cabin #7324 is bright with light
pine wood and the RCI trademark blue and aqua colors. When entering
on the left there is the oversized bathroom with a 4'X4' shower
with safety rails and a fold away seat. There is one sink with a
large medicine chest for amenities. Next, there is a sofa and a
queen bed flanked by two night stands and reading lamp sconces; the
head board is the traditional aqua suede.

When entering on the right, there is a triple armoire with
shelves and both high and low cross dowels for hangers and a
private safe. This last is the handiest item since cruisers may
lock up valuables and go wallet and purse free all week. There is a
lighted mirror on the desk/vanity, a LCD TV and a hair dryer in the
first of four drawers.

The far wall is all glass and has a door to the extra large
balcony with two chairs, a small table and a chaise which our
excellent steward Lenore Reid brought for Vincent. Our week was
perfectly restful thanks to the lovely Lenore.

Entertainment On the Independence there is no shortage of
opportunities to be "amused."

Sunday evening from our balcony there was a beautiful sunset
with a clear view of the slenderest crescent moon in the SW sky.
Above the moon shone the planets Venus and Jupiter. All three
heavenly bodies were close to each other -- picture perfect and
brighter than 1st magnitude stars. However, as we looked at other
balconies, we were astonished to find that we were the only
audience for this phenomenon; so we took a picture of it! This is
why we love to cruise.

For other more typical activities, Cruise Director Allan Brooks
does his very best. The RCI singers and dancers perform in
production shows like "Center Stage" in the Alhambra Theatre along
with comedians like Michael James; ballroom dancers Olga &
Dimatri have a dance competition. The Ice Show "Strings" with world
class performers on ice and an extraordinary violinist from Canada
(so sorry we haven't got her name.) This is only the beginning. For
the athletic minded the "Flowrider" and the "Rock Climbing Wall"
are musts. Don't forget golf, basketball, shuffleboard, ping pong,
swimming, Bingo, Casino games and tournaments, etc. etc. Oh, just
get out there.

For first timers this port has an interesting "Old & New San
Juan City Tour" (2.5 hrs, $32.) Try the "Fortifications Segway"
touring the old city on a Segway (3.5 hrs, $95).

Day 4: St. Thomas, USVI -- Arrive 7:00am, Depart 5:00pm

This is one of the best shopping ports in the Caribbean. A tour
especially designed for the handicapped is "Accessible Scenic
Island Drive and Mountain Top" (2.5 hrs, $64).

Day 5: Philipsburg, St. Maarten -- Arrive 6:00am, Depart
5:00pm

One of the most fascinating tours here is the "America's Cup
Sailing Regatta" (3 hrs, $89) -- A sailing competition with famous
yachts like Dennis Corner's "Stars & Stripes," "Canada II" and
"True North." After the exciting race, participants are treated to
complimentary rum punch.

Day 6: At sea. Day 7: Labadee, Haiti -- Arrive 8:00am, Depart
4:30pm

This is RCI's private island where passengers may enjoy the
white sand beach and swimming or snorkeling in the sparkling clear
water. For those who love water sports there are many choices:
"Kayak Adventure" (1.5 hrs $38.); "Personal Watercraft Experience",
enjoying the thrill of speeding on a Waverunner (1.5 hrs, $95
adults and $29 children); "Snorkel Safari" (2 hrs, $46), etc.

Day 8: At sea. Day 9: Ft. Lauderdale -- Arrive 6:00am.

Disembarkation We had a terrific going home breakfast in the
main dining room at 6:30am and went back to our stateroom. At
8:30am a wheelchair came for Vincent and we were taken down and off
the ship to baggage pick up, customs and passport control. We were
out on the port at 9:00am. This is quite good for the biggest
cruise ship with so many passengers.

Conclusion This was another great cruise. As "Frequent Floaters"
with 37 cruise credits on RCI ships and Diamond Plus membership in
the Crown & Anchor Society, we enjoy all the repeaters benefits
aboard, including the use of the Concierge Services, the Diamond
Lounge, evening cocktails, reservations for specialty restaurants
and tickets for the ice skating show, and other favors. That is the
reason RCI is our favorite cruise line. However, we are addicted to
cruising and we also cruise on other lines. Until now we have never
experienced a bad cruise, although some cruises have been better
than others.

Now we look forward to cruising on the Norwegian Pearl on Jan. 4
and on the Ruby Princess on Jan. 24. We have also booked
transatlantic crossings on the Celebrity Solstice in April and
Queen Mary2 in May, as well as the inaugural cruise on the Oasis of
the Seas on Dec 12, 2009. Happy Cruising!

If you haven’t booked a Royal Caribbean Cruise do NOT book one.
As a seasoned traveler and a 5 time cruiser I am telling you DO NOT
BOOK ROYAL CARIBBEAN—OR-- cancel your cruise if you are unfortunate
enough to have already booked the Independence of the Seas. Here is
why:

• The worst food of any cruise I have ever sailed

• No 24 food service in the Windjammer

• Food police guard the Windjammer so even if you wanted an
apple around 5 pm the cops are there to stop you and direct 6
floors below to the pizza place.

• They shut down the Windjammer from 5 pm until 6:30 and then
again at 11 pm

• Unhappy people serving the food All of them wanted to get off
the ship

• Nothing special on the Buffet EVER—Hamburgers, Hot dogs and
then slop that was bland enough to cater to the over 80 crowd and
let them gum it down without their teeth

• Overcrowded and horrible boarding and departing procedures

• Over priced drinks and watered down cocktails

• Any alcohol brought onto

the ship is taken off you and given back on the last day

• Automatic gratuities and then the servers try to get you to
tip on the 18% saying they don’t get it all

• NO FOOD SERVICE at the pools so even if you wanted some of the
slop you have to go back to the Windjammer and tote it out
yourself

• Don't purchase their drinking water packages. It costs about
$4.50 for a bottle of water.

• They try to ding you for every minor thing as if they built
the ship and now YOU have to pay for it every nickel dime they can
extract All the time we were on the ship Royal Caribbean was
incessantly attempting to fleece the last penny from your pockets.
If it wasn't for official photographs at $20 a photo, it was
cocktails at the pool side, art auctions, paying for fitness
classes or paying for the shuttle buses at some of the Ports that
convey you from the boat into the local town

So you say –Well what was good:

• Our Jr. Suite was wonderful

• Spending time with my wife

• Sleeping with the door open so you could hear the waves

• The Casino

• The Entertainment Director Goff was hilarious!

Final word---Book anything but this BIG ship the Independence of
the Seas Or you will HATE it